Nursing Practice - Mental Health

Introduction
In response to the changing needs of educational provision in healthcare practice and stakeholder consultation, the School of Nursing and Human Sciences has developed a postgraduate educational framework for nurses and other healthcare practitioners.

The programme includes modules predominantly focused on practice embedded elements. It is anticipated that students will normally be working a minimum of 20hrs per week in an area related to their intended focus of study, e.g. recovery oriented practice, the management of long term illness, community/primary care, intellectual disability & concurrent mental health problems, care of the older person or care of the child and adolescent.

This programme will further develop your analytical skills, and provide an educational framework to deliver optimum care to individuals, families and communities, as well as improving the quality of healthcare practice in the Irish healthcare system.

To demonstrate advanced research skills, which enable you to appraise research design and effective practice, and develop the requisite research knowledge and skills to implement best practice.

To engage in effective intra and inter professional working with healthcare colleagues.

To advance practice in your profession and designated area through effective leadership and innovation.

To demonstrate a critical engagement with decision-making frameworks and processes in health and social care contexts.

For those continuing to complete the MSc. component it is expected that you will be able to plan, undertake and disseminate an original piece of healthcare practice research upon completion.

Why DCU
The unique tri-partite model of practice, supervision and assessment focuses on the development of practice with modular learning and expected outcomes directly embedded in your practice environment.

You will have the capacity to specialise in your chosen area and tailor the programme to your needs.

Each programme is delivered within a blended learning framework, which ensures there is a mixture of online, face to face, and practice based learning.

Students are allocated a practice/clinical supervisor from their practice area, to provide support and guidance.

Entry requirements

General Entry Requirements
Direct entry to the programme will be considered for candidates who hold a primary degree, with a minimum of second-class honours, grade two, in a relevant discipline. Where a prospective student has not attained the required academic level prior to their application, and in keeping with University policy on equality of access and opportunity, additional opportunities for entry to the programme, will be available. These are offered through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Candidates will normally be expected to be working in the area of practice which they hope to study over the course of the programme. The programme will incorporate a separate external practice placement.

Duration

2 years part-time.

Careers or further progression

Careers
This programme will support healthcare professionals who wish to further their career in a particular area of practice, e.g. where there are opportunities for developing new services, models and roles, or for specialist and advanced practitioner roles in healthcare provision. It will also help professionals gain valuable postgraduate clinical/practice education, thereby helping them to progress in their chosen career.